Sustained Development
The Power of Poetry

Michael Greenlee, 22, self-published a volume of poetry about the House of Worship as a fundraiser for the National Fund. In this interview he shares some thoughts about poetry, the funds, and one of the poems from his volume, "Linden Far".

FUNDamentals: Can you tell us about yourself? Where are you from, where do you work, what do you do there?

Michael: I grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey, and discovered the Faith through a brief mention of it in a book I was reading. I now work at the Baha’i National Center in the Office of International Pioneering. I work with prospective pioneers and traveling teachers from the western United States and help them with their service plans.

F: Can you tell us about your project to raise money for the National Fund?

M: I’ve put together a small book of poetry called Linden Far. It has twelve poems relating to the House of Worship in Wilmette, and all of the profits from the book are going to the National Baha’i Fund.

F: What inspired you to do this?

M: When the deficit in the National Fund was announced, a lot of people immediately began planning fundraising projects. I’ve seen art used often as a way of raising funds for the Faith, and so I decided that this would be a good individual fundraising project.

F: How did you publish your volume? Is this the first volume you’re published?

M: I wanted to keep the printing costs as low as possible so that there would be more profits to give to the Fund. The best way to do this was to print the booklets myself. Some friends helped me with the layout and choosing papers and doing the printing, and now I can print copies on demand, so that I won’t be wasting any of the money. This is the first collection of poems that I’ve printed. The potential for raising money for the Fund is what gave me enough focus to follow through with the project.

F: What do you think is the role or power of poetry, particularly for the Baha'i community?

M: I understand from the Baha’i writings that art is a form of worship. I think that poetry can engage a part of the mind that more factual writing only brushes: the part that is most connected with our spiritual nature. Like music, it can open us up to more spiritual feelings and experiences. As Baha’is, we want to create a more spiritually attuned world, and poetry is one of many ways of doing this.

F: How can someone get a copy of your book?

M: Anyone who is interested in getting a copy of the book can email me. The suggested donation is $9.00. All profits after the minimal printing cost are going directly to the National Baha’i Fund.

F: Can you share one of your poems with us?

M: I'd be happy to. This one is called "Fountain," and is from the volume Linden Far. I hope you enjoy it.

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FOUNTAIN

The brilliant water breathes in desperate leaps
of sky-delight. Pragmatic drops that dream
the sea of heaven form a single stream
that reaches up from soil, stalls, then weeps.

The blue stone chatters in the constant beats
of upward water falling down, undone
exactly. Broken, breathless efforts run
derailed down ruddy fissures in hard streets.

Why continue flowing, if born to be
this sunward-soaring, soil-bound unflight?
Why pour with such sad joy into the night
the shrillest pillar of this fountain me?

Why live a strain? Why strive by perfect pain
to touch a vastness we can never reach?
All actions seem to fade like finished speech
and slither down a rust-encrusted drain.

But beauty comes from tumbling water, frail
breaths that rise and fall. Inhale, exhale
the world's fire, the rough-hewn heart-height air,
and fuse the sting and bliss in endless prayer.